British Columbia--Higher Education and the Integration of a New Technology. Case Study.

Forsythe, Kathleen; Collins, Valerie

Based on an extensive literature search and interviews with educators, government officials, distance education personnel, and students, this publication reviews the impact of geostationary satellite telecommunications technology on higher education in British Columbia. A systems impact perspective is taken which suggests the emergence of a new educational model, known as the "learning system." A "learning system" is defined as a cooperative framework in which government agencies, universities, community colleges, and provincial institutes work together to deliver distance education through the use of telecommunications networks. The rationale for the case study and its historical context are outlined. Distance education at the Universities of British Columbia, Simon Fraser University, the University of Victoria, and the Open Learning Institute is described as is the formation of the Knowledge Network, an educational telecommunications network. The effect of telecommunications technology on the content of the curriculum and the teaching/learning environment is examined and an assessment is made of the "learning system's" strengths and weaknesses. An executive summary, an outline of case study methodology, a map of British Columbia showing satellite receive sites as of June 1982, and a 67-item bibliography are provided. (Author/ESR)